The National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings for portions of rural Riverside and San Bernardino counties amid heavy rain from thunderstorms Monday afternoon.
Drivers were urged not to attempt to drive through flooded roads, with the service noting most flood deaths occur when people become trapped inside their vehicles.
The flash flood warnings cover Joshua Tree National Park, the mountains south of Palm Desert and the I-10 Corridor in the Desert Center area west of Blythe.
The warning for the mountains south of Palm Desert is scheduled to expire at 5:15 p.m., with the remaining warnings ending at 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.
Monday’s warnings follow flooding last weekend in the Twentynine Palms community just north of Joshua Tree National Park. According to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, six people had to be rescued from their vehicles.
Austin Jamison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, said the flooding was due to the desert’s monsoon season, but skies should be clearer soon.
The meteorologist, asked about fire risk, noted that any time there’s lightning, there’s a chance a strike could spark a fire. But blazes are less common when a thunderstorm is producing heavy rain like on Monday.
Jamison said there was less than a 10% chance of thunderstorms on Tuesday.
Flash Flood Response in 29 Palms. Yesterday’s storm caused rapid flooding, leading to multiple rescues and water-related emergencies. Floodwaters rose and receded quickly, allowing firefighters to assist trapped occupants. Remember, flooded roads can be unstable.
(San Bernardino County Fire)